2000 Subaru Impreza WRX GC8 Version 6: specs, STi differences and buying one

The 2000 Subaru Impreza WRX GC8 Version 6 is the final first-generation Impreza, built from September 1999 to August 2000 (Gulliver catalog). It's on a lot of speeders' wish lists because it's the most developed GC8, not because it changed much. Most of the real engineering arrived a year earlier with Version 5.

This guide covers what Version 6 changed, how the WRX and STi differ, which special editions matter, and what to look for if you're buying one now.

What Version 6 changed

Not a lot under the skin. Wikipedia describes the Version 6 STi changes as mostly cosmetic, with a more aggressive rear wing, and says the last GC WRX arrived in September 1999 with no mechanical changes.

The visible updates were new wheels and body-colored door handles and mirrors, plus intermittent wipers and remote central locking (Drifted). Factory power stayed where it was.

The bigger step came with Version 5 in September 1998. That car got the redesigned "Boxer Phase 2" EJ20, a facelift and revised seats and steering wheel (Wikipedia). So a Version 6 is really a Version 5 with a final round of polish, and that's why collectors like it: you get the best-developed GC8 in its final form.

Enthusiasts call Version 6 the GC8G (Wikipedia). On Japanese auction sheets and catalogs, the model code is GF-GC8 (Gulliver catalog).

WRX vs WRX STi Version 6 specs

Every Version 6 turbo car was rated at 280 PS, the ceiling under Japan's gentlemen's agreement. The difference between the WRX and STi shows up in torque, hardware and price, not the headline figure.

All figures come from the Gulliver (221616.com) Japanese catalog. Every grade uses the 2.0-liter EJ20 turbo flat-four and a five-speed manual.

One figure doesn't agree. Wikipedia lists the Version VI STi at 305 PS and 388 Nm with a VF28 turbo at 1.2 bar of boost. The period catalog says 280 PS and 353 Nm. Treat the catalog as the official rating and the higher number as what the engine may really make.

What the STi actually adds

The STi badge is more than a remap. Fast Car lists a blueprinted engine, an uprated intercooler with water spray, a revised exhaust, a bigger rear spoiler, a front strut brace, stiffer springs, revised dampers, uprated pads and STi seats.

The Type R and Type RA go further. They add a driver-controlled center differential (DCCD) and a mechanical rear limited-slip diff, plus the roof vent (Fast Car). The Type R coupe also gets close-ratio gears and minimal sound deadening (Wikipedia).

WhichCar's write-up of a Type R Version 6 Limited lists the variable DCCD, a bigger turbo and intercooler spray, shorter gearing, a quicker steering ratio and no sound deadening.

The special editions

Version 6 had more limited runs than most buyers realize. The S201 is the one to know.

S201. Subaru built 300, all four-door sedans, with a tri-planar wing and a large front splitter. It was the only body-kitted S-series GC8 (Wikipedia). It cost ¥3.9 million new (Gulliver catalog).

Version 6 Limited cars. Wikipedia's STI page lists 2,000 Type RA Limited, 2,000 STi sedan Limited, 500 Type R coupe Limited and 500 hatchbacks. The coupe number is the shaky one. Wikipedia's first-generation Impreza page says 1,000, the build plaque says 1,000 were planned, and Subaru experts quoted by WhichCar believe only 578 were built.

22B and P1. Neither is a Version 6, but both get mentioned in the same breath. The 22B came earlier, in 1998, with a 2,212 cc engine and 400 cars for Japan (Wikipedia). The P1 was a UK-market Prodrive car from 2000, 1,000 built in Sonic Blue on the Type R coupe base, rated at 276 bhp, and the only GC coupe with ABS (Wikipedia).

What a Version 6 costs today

Prices depend heavily on grade, mileage and originality. A standard WRX and a numbers-matching Type R Limited live in very different markets.

Hagerty's past-sales pages don't show sale dates for the first two cars, so treat them as rough data points.

For US buyers, Version 6 is now fully importable. NHTSA allows a vehicle at least 25 years old to come in without meeting federal safety standards, and the clock runs from the date of manufacture. The last Version 6 cars were built in August 2000, so every one of them crossed that line by August 2025.

What to check before buying

1. Rust. Hagerty UK says to check the wheelarches, rear suspension struts, sills and rear screen surround, and to make sure the chassis legs are straight. Fast Car flags the rear arches and rear strut turrets as structural.
2. Compression and leakdown. Hagerty UK warns of cracked piston rings, piston slap, broken con rods and failed head gaskets. Ringland failure, a cracked piston land between the ring grooves, is usually caused by knock, lean fueling or aggressive timing (Crawford Performance). A tired or badly remapped engine is the main risk here, and our guide to what a stage 1 tune is explains why the quality of the map matters.
3. Gearbox and clutch. The five-speed can jump out of fifth, though Hagerty UK says the fix doesn't require removing the gearbox. Fast Car says most clutches last under 40,000 miles and quotes about £700 plus four to five hours' labor for a replacement. Listen for rear diff whine, especially in reverse.
4. Cambelt and oil history. Fast Car recommends a cambelt and tensioner every three years or 45,000 miles, and oil changes every 7,500 miles or six months.
5. Identity. Check the chassis number against the auction sheet and import paperwork. Limited editions are easy to fake with badges and seats, and genuine STi or Prodrive parts add value while cheap modifications usually don't (Hagerty UK).

Sources

• Wikipedia: Subaru Impreza WRX STI
• Wikipedia: Subaru Impreza (first generation))
• Gulliver catalog: Impreza WRX STi Version VI
• Gulliver catalog: Impreza WRX (September 1999)
• Gulliver catalog: WRX Type RA STi Version VI
• Gulliver catalog: WRX Type RA STi Version VI Limited
• Gulliver catalog: WRX Type R STi Version VI
• Gulliver catalog: S201 STi Version
• Drifted: Subaru GC8, the ultimate guide
• Fast Car: Subaru Impreza WRX STi GC8 buying guide
• Hagerty UK: Buying guide, Subaru Impreza Turbo (1994 to 2000)
• WhichCar: Rare Subaru Impreza GC8 WRX STI Type R Version 6 Limited for auction
• Hagerty past sales: 1999 Impreza WRX STI Version VI Limited
• Hagerty past sales: 2000 Impreza WRX Type RA STi Version VI Limited
• Motoring Research: Rare Subaru Impreza 22B sells for more than $310,000
• Crawford Performance: Subaru ringland failure
• NHTSA: Importation and certification FAQs

Featured image: 2000 Subaru Impreza (GC8 MY00) WRX sedan by Jeremy, CC BY 2.0. Source